Directorate General of Civil Aviation Director General Faiz Ahmed Kidwai inaugurated a new drone battery manufacturing facility at Garuda Aerospace’s operations centre in Chennai, marking a key milestone in the company’s efforts to strengthen India’s indigenous drone ecosystem. The inauguration follows the recent launch of Garuda Aerospace’s defence drone facility and was held in association with the Bharat Drone Udaan initiative and the Bharat Drone Association.

During the visit, Kidwai also inaugurated a new academic block at Garuda Aerospace’s DGCA-approved Remote Pilot Training Organisation (RPTO). The expanded infrastructure is aimed at increasing training capacity and strengthening curriculum delivery to meet rising demand for certified drone pilots across sectors such as agriculture, infrastructure, defence, disaster management and logistics. He also unveiled the Garuda Bharat Drone Udaan Impact Book, which outlines the company’s journey, milestones and contributions to the development of India’s drone ecosystem.

Speaking at the event, Agnishwar Jayaprakash, Founder and Director, Garuda Aerospace, said the company has evolved over the past decade into one of India’s largest drone manufacturers, with over 3,000 drones produced and more than 2,500 pilots trained. He highlighted the role of progressive government policies, including subsidy schemes and production-linked incentives, in supporting indigenous manufacturing and wider drone adoption.

Addressing the gathering, Kidwai said Garuda Aerospace is among the few companies manufacturing a wide range of drones for applications spanning defence, agriculture and industry. He noted that the company’s focus on in-country production of critical components reflects a deeper level of indigenisation and that trained drone pilots would play a crucial role as applications expand rapidly.

The launch of the battery manufacturing facility alongside the new academic block represents a step towards building an integrated, self-reliant drone ecosystem encompassing manufacturing, training and deployment to support India’s growing drone economy.